New Delhi: Bubbling with new-found confidence after a successful Sudirman Cup campaign, womenís doubles shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa said she and her partner Jwala Gutta can hope to be among the world's top-10 by the end of this year.

n London: Aston Villa will confirm this week that Gerard Houllier is to stand down as manager because of health reasons. It is understood that the Frenchmanís final medical reports revealed that a return to management would put his health at too great a risk.

Laussan: The CAS has set new dates for Alberto Contadorís doping case, allowing him to race in the Tour de France. The court says it will hear the case from August 1-3, more than a week after the Tour finishes in Paris on July 24.

New Delhi: Taking a serious note of Indiaís disastrous Azlan Shah campaign, Hockey India Tuesday decided to rope in a foreign expert for the team and has formed a five-member panel to scout for the best possible candidate within 15 days.